Symposium: The Changing Nature of the Mississippi River
The Great River Passage is partnering with the Science Museum of Minnesota to host a conversation with local and national experts about the evolving Mississippi River and collaborative approaches to bringing the river to the forefront of our civic life.
Following COVID-19 guidance from local, state and federal officials, the Symposium will be postponed till further notice.
Symposium: The Changing Nature of the Mississippi River
Science Museum of Minnesota
April 23, 2020 (Postponed)
Questions: [email protected]
AGENDA
The Mississippi River is a dynamic river. We have the opportunity take the lead, break the status quo and develop a comprehensive approach to connecting with and stewarding the river.
To advance our collective opportunity, we are bringing together a series of local and national experts to the forefront of the conversation on our changing river to address a forward thinking, integrated agenda that will:
- Build our awareness and agency upstream
- Center and celebrate Saint Paul’s 17 miles of river
- Frame our responsibility to the communities down river
We seek to address the questions: How is the river changing? How is our use of the river changing? How is climate change effecting river change? How is our relationship/perspective to the river changing?
Morning session
(9-12 a.m.)
The morning session includes sessions from a series of experts on the themes of water/ecology, infrastructure/industry, culture/social and economy/business.
Keynote:
Derek Hoeferlin, AIA, Principal, [dhd] derek hoeferlin design
Presentation: Way Beyond Bigness: The Need for a Watershed Architecture
Speakers:
Pat Hamilton, Director of Global Change Initiatives, Science Museum of Minnesota
Presentation: Upstream
Dr. Shawn Schottler, Senior Scientist, St. Croix Watershed Research Station-Science Museum of Minnesota
Presentation: Butterflies, Blue-greens, Kilowatts and Calories: Making good long-term choices.
Megan Moore, LTRM Field Station Team Supervisor/Mississippi River Coordinator Minnesota DNR Presentation: Long-Term Ecological Trends on the Upper Mississippi River: Implications of Climate Change
Nanette M. Bischoff, P.E. Army Corps of Engineers, Project Manager/FERC Coordinator
Presentation: Corps of Engineers Disposition Study – Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock
Vincente M Diaz, Professor of American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota and James Rock, Director of Indigenous Programming, Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium, University Minnesota Duluth
Presentation: Oceania In, Above, and Along the Mississippi River
Afternoon session
(1-4 p.m.)
The afternoon session will examine the Mississippi River through case studies from cities along the full length of the river.
Moderator: Mark Johnson (Civitas, Principal)
Case Studies:
St Cloud, Minnesota: Lisa Vollbrecht, Assistant Public Utilities Director, City of St. Cloud
Case Study: First Sip: Public Utilities Integrated with Mississippi River
Twin Cities, Minnesota: Mary deLaittre, Executive Director, Great River Passage Conservancy
Case Study: Building the River Capital
Prairie Island Indian Community: Shelley Buck, President, and Blake Johnson, Prairie Island Indian Community
Case Study: Prairie Island Indian Community Net Zero Project and Emergency Planning
Memphis, Tennessee: George Abbott, Director of External Affairs and Helen Hope, Program Associate, Memphis River Parks
Case Study: Building a riverfront that works for everyone in Memphis, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana: Diane Allen Jones, D. Eng., FASLA is Director of Program in Landscape Architecture, University of Texas Arlington, and Principal Landscape Architect for DesignJones, LLC.
Case Study: New Orleans Redevelopment Authority Community Adaptation Project
(NORACAP): Recovery from the impacts of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO)
Closing Speaker:
Kara Lankford Fox, Director, Gulf Coast Restoration National Audubon Society
Presentation: Audubon’s Vision: Restoring the Gulf of Mexico for Birds and People





